forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com
Modelers Lounge => Time to relax => Topic started by: Medic on October 08, 2016, 09:26:23 PM
-
So i just read RAGIII touching tribute about his father who was a servcemnan, and thought it fittng for all curret and ex-service personal to be lound and proud. Let me start off :
20 years Royal Australian Army Corps.
Medic ;D
-
9 years Royal Australian Air Force
Des.
My Great Grandfather flew Spads and Nieuports in the First World War.
My uncle was a tail gunner in a Lancaster, he was killed over Germany.
-
I served on PBRs in the US Navy for 1 year out of a 4 year enlistment.
My Dad jumped into Normandy with the 101st Airborne Division and was with the Occupation Forces after the War.
My Great Uncle flew with 23 Squadron RAF, 1917-1918.
Cheers,
Bud
-
My dad was in the USN and served on Guadalcanal and New Britain where he was wounded. My younger brother as in the US Army in the area around Saigon, and I was in the USN serving with a USMC company in N. "I" Corps. Bud and I have had a few stories to tell about service in VN. One of my uncles was lost in the typhoon that hit the fleet during WWII too.
-
I retired from the US Army as an E-8 (First Sergeant) after 24 1/2 years. 19 years as a Combat Infantryman and 5 1/2 years in logistics. Deployments included Grenada, Bosnia, undisclosed locations in Africa and South America, Desert Storm, and back to Africa to Somalia. Been retired since 2001.
My father served 4 years in the Marines and my son did 4 years in the Navy.
Mike
-
It s a strong bond that needs to be remembered and cherished. Keep them coming.
medic :D
-
9 years flying a desk in the Royal Air Force. (Cartographer)
Grandad (mums side) served in the WWI at the front, he was underage at the time he enlisted. Sadly he lost his two older brothers during the war one at the Somme the other at Paschendale.
WW2 both granddads were in protected jobs (miners) so couldnt enlist even though my Grandad that fought in WWI tried his hardest he was considered too old.
-
Four and a half years in the British Airborne Forces (3 Para).
Bud - would I have loved to have met your dad.
Utrinque Paratus
Tug
-
27 years in the RCAF and another 10 Air Force Reserve. Just over 7700 hours flying time, 3800 hours flying Fighters. Retired almost 20 years ago and worked in the energy sector another 10 years.
Paternal Grand Father served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force WWI in Europe, was at the big battle of Vimy Ridge. My Father was a career Navy man with 30 years service including 1940-45. Maternal Grand Father served 39-45 in the Royal Canadian Navy as well and my son did 5 years service in the RCN. Several Uncles served as well, one a POW in Germany for 2 years and two landed at Juneau Beach in Normandy and lived through it.
We are a "Military Family". Hopefully all this service amounts to something and the future holds hope of peace for the next generations........
Cheers,
Lance
-
Hopefully all this service amounts to something and the future holds hope of peace for the next generations........
Well said, I'm sure it does! :)
As for me, I tried enlisting in the Navy, but was turned down by the psychologist because I was deemed too individualistic and would not fit the mould, so to speak. :)
Jeroen
PS And really far away, according to the family tree, my ancestor was a Swiss mercenary in the 1600s.
-
I spent a little over six years as an 11B and 19E (mechanized infantry and armor crewman) in the Ala & KY ARNG in the late 80's/early 90's. My dad was a PTO vet, had an Army serial #, a USN mailing address, and wore USMC dungarees. He was assigned to the 1st Marine Division Hdqtrs as an intel NCO, and made the assault on Peleliu, about 100 m down the beach from Eugene Sledge (With the Old Breed). His brother, my uncle, was a platoon sgt. of a heavy weapons co. and fought through New Guinea, and was KIA on Mapia Island. My great-grandfather, gr-great uncle, gr-great grandfather, and numerous gr-great uncles fought for the Army of Northern Virginia, Army of Tennessee, and Army of Mississippi during the ACW. I had a number of ancestors fight as rebels during the American Revolution, and had a couple of ancestors in the F&I War, one being tasked with "ranging the Cherokee frontier". (And if your blood doesn't run cold with that last one, well . . . . .)
I am a direct descendant of a Templar Knight killed at the "Battle of the Horns"/Hattin.
FWIW,
Warren
-
Wow Warren that's extrodinary and quite a historical timeline. It also covers pretty much most of my military libarary.
Medic ;D
-
Well, others started listing what their fathers and grandfathers did, and rightly so, they should always be remembered. As long as we remember them, they live on, at least that's my philosophy.
Warren
-
Very true Warren, I couldn't agree more and only hope my boys do the same for me
medic ;D
-
I did 21 years as an United States Army Dental officer. Board certified in Comprehensive Dentistry. That means I have training in all the subspecialties of Dentistry. Spent my first six years in field units (197th Inf Bde. as Bde surgeon, 2nd ID, and 18 months as Division Dental Surgeon of the Big Red One). All of this during peacetime 84-90. I served as project officer for Dental clinic construction at Camp Page, ROK and the clinic at the winter warfare fighting school at Ft. McCoy, WI. Retired in 2005 after my third unaccompanied tour in Korea. (I was there in three different decades, 87-88, 96-97, 03-04). My grandfather was in the 1st Aero Squadron in WW1, my dad was in Intelligence in WW2 and my uncle was with the Marine Raiders in WW2. My father-in-law was a primary flight instructor for Naval aviators in WW2. Since I retired, I have started two community health dental clinics serving the underserved and am currently the Director of one of the largest community health dental clinics in the state of KS. I also still see active duty army as they refer some patients from Ft. Riley. My main modelling interests are WW1 and I also build flying scale rubber and CO2 powered models. Dr. Tim Pivonka, COL (Ret.)
-
U.S. Marines 63-68. Father U.S. Army WW II.
-
Started out as an armoured crewman in the reserves and 27 years later retired from the Canadian Air Force, although I didn't stray far.
James
-
I have never served my country in the military, but I'm eternally grateful, respectful and proud of those who have and continue to do so.
My Dad and Grandfather before him both served in the Royal Navy. Pops on HMS Tuna 1943-45 and grand-pops on armoured tugs during WW1. They're both honoured in my signature picture below.
vB
-
...Hmmm.... Loaded thread, excuse the (very bad) pun... The stories of service, sacrifice and hardship are inspirational, sad and often just amplify the folly of war, and often the motives and issues are unclear to the participants... Let me make it clear that I have great respect for someone who lays their civilian ideals aside and goes to war for their ideals, family and country...
I served in the South African Air Force during the Apartheid era in the 70's.... Now that, I'm sure, got some attention... Yes it was conscription, and yes, I could have gone to jail otherwise, and yes I could have left the country, but I didn't.. I did my time and never killed anyone I know about, certainly never served on the "Sharp End" up in the Border area and never did anything to be ashamed of, but just the thought leaves me with doubt as I grow older... was that entire war really necessary at all? And I'm sure there are some of you reading this who are just a bit horrified... remember, the victors get to write the history and judge the morality...
After my compulsory service I worked in healthcare solely caring for those oppressed by that system for 12 years... the least I could do... I know this sounds guilt-laden, but it's not so, it is the conscious path to a better future, but it is difficult... The memories do fade, but they are there...
Regards,
Marc
-
Hi Marc,
Very profound insight. Necessary or not war has occurred since the dawn of time and will continue long after the ink of this post dries. It's not a matter of could or should, you did what you were asked to do by your country when you were asked. I have a close friend who was a South African conscript in the army around the same time. In my mind regardless of the conflict, location or ideology of the participants the bond and brotherhood of servicemen and women is a very powerful connection and is what I choose to remember out of my 22 years of service. I take my hat off to you all.
Cheers, Medic :D
-
Many of us who served in Viet Nam felt much the same as you, Marc. You are not alone, brother.
Cheers,
Bud
-
I must say that I have deep respect, for those men and women, that risc their lives for their country . For my person, I can only say that I have never served in the army (Germany) I did so called Zivildienst this means I lived for 15 month in alternating shifts (24/7) with an other guy with a rollchair driver. He was paralysed up to his head. I went wit him in the park, to foodball matches, made his laundry, wash him, cook for him and helped him with the toilet.
I did not go to the army, because my grandpa said: Make something peaceful, he took me besides and told some things long ago.
He served in WWI and WWII in the Wehrmacht in WWII he went back by foot from Russia to his family, his ringfinger was cut off, because a soldier wanted the ring but he did not get of the finger.
When he came to Germany, he was told that his house is now no longer his property and his Family had to move to Düsseldorf.
When he got there he learned, that his wife and one of his daughters did suicide because they could not stand the numberless rapes of the soldiers of the red army.
He was the most gentle man I would ever knew, he was so warm hearted and I had a real good time with him; he never get loud or angry.
My father was too joung to realize the horror of war. Otherwise I think it would have broken his mind.
I pray, that my little daughter will never learn what war means, but I think this is just wishful thinking.
Manni
-
My mother's family was bombed out of their hometown, Hamburg, during Op. Gomorrha in 1943. My father's family had to flee the Red Army out of Festung Breslau in 1945 (my father was three years old, then).
I am serving my country in the Luftwaffe as technical specialist on transport aircraft since 1988.
Stefan
-
Thanks for your comment Manni/Stefan. It provides us all with an opportunity to reflect.
Medic :D
-
My grandfather (mom's side) was a Major with the flak and served in Africa where he became POW. The rest of his unit was annihilated after that at the Eastern Front, so he was lucky. My other grandfather was a soldier in the Czech army and then pressed into the Wehrmacht due to his German origin. He lost his leg some days before Stalingrad was surrounded, so somehow he was a lucky guy too - to escape with his life at least. All my grandparents lost their homes in 1945, coming from Eastern Prussia or from the Sudetenland. None of my grandfathers spoke about their war experiences, both were shocked and traumatized for life. The former major was asked to build up the Bundeswehr in 1955, but he refused.
So my choice was quickly done: I joined, like Manni, the civil service and served a year in a hospital (and to say it clear : I 've seen much more blood and suffer then my fellows that went to the Bundeswehr in the late nineties...). I never regretted this decision.
Borsos
-
Some great comments here... Respect... Marc
-
We should also spare a moment to think of the passing today of Bob Hoover. Although he wasn't a WWI pilot, he was called the "greatest stick and rudder guy that ever flew," by Jimmy Doolittle. Escaped from a POW camp, stole a German plane and flew it to freedom. So many great vets are leaving us.